AG releases Human Trafficking Task Force Annual Report

According to Wilson, South Carolina was recognized by Shared Hope as the most improved state in the nation in combating human trafficking.

The report states, in 2018, Richland Co. had the most new cases of human trafficking reported to the National Human Trafficking Hotline.

Also according to the report, 13 new cases were charged in 2018, with three involving victims who were under 18 years of age. There were 64 cases closed last year and 20 human trafficking cases pending in the South Carolina State Courts as we enter 2019. Richland County has 52% of the pending cases with Horry and Lexington Counties following with 10% and Greenville and Greenwood with 9%. Laurens and Berkley each had 5% of the remaining cases.

During a Friday morning news conference, AG Wilson said, ““Many people think human trafficking is something you only see in movies and I used to have the same perspective, However, it’s happening in communities across South Carolina. We sit between Atlanta and Charlotte, two of the biggest hubs in the nation for trafficking. The annual report details recent data supplied by the National Hotline, the efforts underway by the State Task Force to combat the crime and how we can continue to improve our approach moving forward.”

Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette was also on hand for Friday’s news conference where she read a proclamation by the Gov. Henry McMaster declaring January 2019 Human Trafficking Awareness Month in South Carolina.